Rondae Hollis-Jefferson flirted with a triple-double as TNT whipped the lowly Blackwater, 105-96, in the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday, Dec. 15.

Hollis-Jefferson was simply unstoppable on the offensive end, notching his second 40-point game in the conference while leading the Tropang Giga to a massive third quarter onslaught that turned a once tight contest into a blowout.

The flamboyant TNT import exploded for 42 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists – a fitting follow-up to his 33-point, 15-rebound performance in the Tropang Giga’s 113-97 win over the NLEX Road Warriors just last Friday.

TNT also notched its second straight win in its grueling three games in five days stretch to improve to a 4-3 record while sending its victim, Blackwater, to the bottom of the standings with a 1-7 slate.

TNT outscored Blackwater, 33-17, in the third quarter with Hollis-Jefferson pouring 13 of his total during that stretch as the Tropang Giga turned a precarious one-point halftime lead, 52-51, into an 85-68 advantage – a cushion enough to withstand the repeated rallies from the Bossing in the final canto.

The returning Jayson Castro and Calvin Oftana provided support to RHJ with the former chipping in 18 points five assists and three rebounds seven rebounds and the latter finishing with 14 to go along with his eight boards.

The Tropang Giga led by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter but the Bossing, desperate to end their misery of six straight losses, tried to make a last-ditch rally, cutting the lead down to a single digit, 105-99, with a little over a minute left.

Blackwater had the chance to put more pressure on TNT in the ensuing possession but just couldn’t convert anymore from the field.

Import Chris Ortiz finished with a 25-point, 20-rebound effort not enough to save the Bossing from absorbing its seventh-straight defeat.